Potato-cutter



(No Model.)

A. T. DOWDEN.

POTATO CUTTER.

No. 581,850. Patented May 4,1897.

:rzns c0. wmaumuu WASHINGTON 0 L ASHFORD T. DOVDEN, OF PRAIRIE CITY, IO\VA.

POTATO-CUTTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 581,850, dated May 4, 1897.

Application filed June 24, 1896. Serial No. 596,817 (No model.)

To all whont it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ASHFORD T. DoWDEN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Prairie .City, in the county of Jasper and State of Iowa, have invented an Improved Potato-Cutter, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists in a cast-metal base adapted for detachably fastening straight cutters thereto in crossed position and means for directing and pressing potatoes relative to the cutters combined therewith to produce a Sll1l ple, strong, and durable machine, as hereinafter set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal and partly-sectional view of the base mounted upon a support and straight cutters fitted and fixed thereto in crossed positions and operative mechanism for directing and pressing potatoes upon the cutters connected with the base as required for practical use. Fig.2 is a transverse sectional view, on the line 0c .70 of Fig. 1, looking toward the rear end of the machine. Fig. 3 shows the crossed position of straight cutters.

A represents the cast-metal base, adapted to be fixed upon the top of a suitable wooden support or stand by means of bolts, as shown in Fig. 2, or in any suitable way, in such a manner that pieces of potatoes that pass downward between the cutters in the base will fall through an opening in the support and preferably into some receptacle placed under the stand or support upon which the base is placed.

The base is preferably of rectangular shape, and consists of the flat portion adapted to rest upon the flat top of the supportand a continuous integral wall A that rises from the flat top surface and inclines inward, a flange A", projecting inward from the top of the wall, and an upwardly-projecting rib or bead m at the inner edge of the fiat bottom portion. A continuous chamber is thus produced for the ends of the cutters and blocks placed between the ends of the cutters.

A are shaft-bearings integral with the rear end and top portion of the complete base that is adapted for inclosing and supporting the cutters.

H placed between their ends.

A are posts at the corner portions of the flange A and preferably cast integral therewith.

Straight blades or cutters B are fitted and fixed in the base to extend transversely and in parallel position and retained at regular distances apart by means of wooden blocks The blades 13 are held at an angle relative to the ends of the frame and successively putin and brought into parallel position with the ends of the frame and with each other in such a manner that the ends of their lower edges will rest upon a rib or bead m, rising from the inner edge of the lower flat portion of the base A.

Ooinciding slots in the top edges of the cutters B admit a cutter C to extend longitudinally relative to the base and at right angles to the cutters B. By placing one end under the flange A and then in the slots in the tops of the cutters B and moving it longitudinally far enough to bring the other end under the flange A the cutters are detachably connected with each other and the base, and by forcing wooden blocks B between the ends of the cutters B and the top and bottom flanges of the base the cutters are securelyand detachably fastened. 13y inclining the blocks and placing their lower ends behind the bead m they can be readily pressed into vertical positions as required to be retained in place.

D is a lever pivotally connected with a crank-shaft D that is journaled t0 the bearings A as shown in Fig. 2, in such a manner that the crank-shaft will serve as a movable fulcrum for the lever and allow it to assume a parallel position relative to the cutters before the pressure of the lever forces potatoes upon the cutters.

F is a flat follower fixed to the under side of the lever D to engage potatoes as required to press them downward upon the cutters to cut them into pieces approximately uniform in size and shape.

Mating potato supports and guides H, preferably made of sheet metal, are pivoted to the tops of the posts A an d normally retained in inclined positions, as shown in Fig. 2, by means of a contractile spring J, that is connected with arms extending downward from the ends of the guides, so that when potatoes are placed in the machine they will be directed to the central portion thereof to be depressed by the descent of the lever D and fol.- lower F and forced upon the cutters, to be thereby severed. into pieces that Will drop through the coinciding openings in the base A and its support.

I claim as my invention 1. In a potato-cutter, the arrangement and combination of transverse slotted cutters B, a longitudinal cutter 0, wooden blocks B and a metal base consisting of a flat bottom part having a central opening and adapted to rest upon a support having a coinciding opening, a continuous Wall rising from the outer edge of said bottom and a flange projecting inward from the top of said Wall, as and for the purposes stated.

2. A potato-cutter comprising acast-metal base adapted to be fixed upon a support, and having a central opening and a continuous chamber around said opening and a rib or bead on the top surface of the bottom portion of the base adapted to support the ends of cutters and to retain removable blocks, posts at the corners of the base to support guides, spring-actuated guides hinged to the posts, a lever pivoted to the top and end portions of the base and provided with a follower to enthe guides, cutters in crossed position having their ends extended into the continuous chamberof the base and resting upon the rib or bead in said chamber and blocks placed between the ends of the cutters and behind the said rib or bead, all arranged and combined as shown and described for the purposes stated.

ASHFORD T. DOWDEN. \Vitnesses:

H. C. GILL, D. H. GILL. 

